Lama Gyurme

LAMA GYOURME was born in Bhutan (an independent kingdom since 1951 close to Tibet) in 1948 and was deeply attracted to spirituality and to monastic life at a very early age, showing exceptional qualities. His family placed him in the care of the Djang Tchoub Tcheu Ling monastery in Bhutan ahantt the age of four, and there he promptly revealed his aptitude for sacred music. He gained a permanent place at the monastery at the age of nine and grew up with a totally religious upbringing (sacred texts, scriptures), as well as being initiated into the traditional arts including music. At the age of 20, he spent his first 3 year retreat (a mandatory rite of passage in the life of a lama) at the Sonada monastery in India. During this retreat, the title "Ouzme" (or Master of Music) was bestowed upon him by the Venerable Kalu Rinpotché. Following a stint at the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim, Lama Gyourme returned to Bhutan to complete his religious education and undergo many initiations before receiving his diploma as teacher of the Kagyupa tradition from His Holiness Karmapa the XVIth. Lama Gyourme has lived in France since 1974, at first heading the Kagyupa Centre in Paris (Kagyu Dzong), then, from 1982 to this day, the Vajradhara Ling Centre in Normandy.-